PRINCESS ANARCHY | DSMP

01. Who Are You?

   THE FOREST around the Dream SMP drowns in silence as nothing but birds, foxes and other wildlife happens to be in it. Darkness falls upon the trees, engulfing the forest and SMP, the sun gone behind the horizon.

   One would think that nothing can disrupt the peace and quiet of the land as inhabitants of the Dream SMP, Manberg, Pogtopia, the Badlands and other possible named landmasses prepare for the night.

   Except there is something.

   In the middle of the forest, at the center of the spot protected by walls of many different materials, appears a person. Specifically, a woman. Almost like she teleported with the help of ender pearls.

   And maybe she did . . . she couldn't tell, however, as she doesn't remember.

   Looking around the forest, Queenie does recognize her surroundings. The spruce trees around her are familiar. She's been here before. Though she doesn't remember the walls that surround this exact spot.

   When she came to the Dream SMP at the age of seventeen, she met Eret in these exact woods. He'd been on a nightly stroll through the forest and found her completely covered in dirt; having run as far and fast as she could.

   But these are memories from when she was seventeen. And despite not remembering how she got here, she knows for a fact she's no longer seventeen.

   Queenie takes a few moments, blinking and squinting her eyes at the trees she knows, but hasn't seen for three years at best. The feeling of being in the Dream SMP slowly sinking in.

   She doesn't remember how she got here.

   Queenie has been gone for three years or so, and she doesn't remember what's happened during the time of being wherever it is she was. Actually, the fact that she knows how much time has passed but not what she's done in those years terrifies her.

   What's happened to her? Why can't she remember?

   The young woman stands up from the ground, noticing that she must've landed here. She just doesn't know how.

   Dusting off her pants, she realizes she has no armor on. All she has are two swords on her back and an axe attached to the black leather belt on her hips.

   Weapons . . . of course. Weapons to protect herself in the middle of the night.

   Queenie knows that she should probably head toward the Dream SMP, as that's where Eret used to live three years ago, before she disappeared. But somehow, when she takes the first step, it takes her in a completely different direction; away from the Dream SMP.

   She can't explain it, but there's a strange pull, south-west from the SMP where she could possibly find a person she knows. Instead, her feet carry her away, through the woods, and across lakes.

   The very least thing that could be in her favor could've been daylight. But no, she had to appear around the SMP during the night, having to fight zombies, skeletons and creepers along the way.

   Despite logic and reason telling her to turn around and find a place where she could hide until morning to continue her journey, the pull she feels is stronger.

   Somehow, it keeps getting stronger as she seems to be getting closer to her destination, which she doesn't even know what it is.

   After what feels like an hour of walking through the SMP, as having to deal with hostile mobs has made her journey much more difficult and longer, she notices a tall tower made of cobblestone with pink . . . wool around the bottom?

   Shaking her head, she approaches a river to take a sip of water, being severely dehydrated. Kneeling by the river, she notices a bunch of salmon jumping in the water, alongside some squids. She smiles at the creatures.

   Queenie wants to throw her hair to the side to make sure that she doesn't get them wet, only to find out her hair's in a braid, the entire thing slipping her mind. Though it does explain why she never had to complain about her hair being in her face when she fought mobs.

   Once she feels that her thirst is quenched, the woman notices the sun rising. And with it comes a fatigue that she hasn't had to feel before as fighting her way through made her body produce enough adrenaline to not care about such a thing.

   Looking up from the river, something by the hill across catches Queenie's attention.

   There is a hole in front of it, a skeleton horse with a saddle inside.

   Queenie crosses the river and approaches the horse, examining it with a raised brow. She wonders who would keep a horse in a hole, rather than making fences and creating a small enclosure for it.

   Something else gets her attention afterwards, however. She notices a door hidden inside the hill, covered in dirt, and a small source of light coming through it.

   Somebody actually lives here. And this is their horse.

   Cocking her head to the side, she decides to enter through the door, as it feels right and makes her senses go haywire. The pull that she's felt these past hours only gets stronger.

   There are a few chests in the small room, along with a crafting table, furnace and a bed. Though this is clearly not the spot that people dwell in for longer periods of time.

   As Queenie looks around, she notices a spiral staircase that leads down. Once again, she's set with a choice of logic and reason versus sense and heart. Yes, it might be dangerous to go down the staircase, not knowing what will await her, but she's walked a while to get here.

   The woman risks it.

   She descends the stairs, being met with the sight of a ravine, decorated with gold and redstone. Quite fancy for an underground ravine, but Queenie isn't one to judge. At least it looks nice.

   Walking down entirely, Queenie notices that there isn't anybody in the ravine. Though the furnaces still emit heat, obviously having been on. Another thing she notices are the potatoes laying around, one chest filled with them to the point it's impossible to fully close it.

   Whoever lives here, they love potatoes.

   The woman moves forward, looking around the ravine despite the dim lighting.

   "Who are you?"